Department of Politics

Bachelor of Arts

Thomas Shevory, Professor and Chair

The curriculum is designed to give students an understanding of political organization and political forces in modern society, to provide knowledge and a basis for insight and judgment on the problems involved in the relationship of the individual to government, the economy to government, and governments to one another. Students are prepared for intelligent performance of the functions of citizenship, for careers in public service and foreign relations, the study of law, and study at the graduate level.

Requirements for the Major in Politics -- B.A.

Credits in the major

Three courses at level 1, one each in the subfields of U.S. politics, political theory, and comparative/international studies. POLT 10100 U.S. Politics is required.

9

Six courses are required at level 3 or above, with a minimum of one course in each of the four subfields that comprise the major program -- U.S. politics, political theory, public policy, and comparative/international -- and a minimum of two additional courses in comparative/international studies.

18

Two courses at level 4 -- seminars, tutorials, internships, or directed studies -- with at least one course in this series to be a seminar.

6

One additional course at any level. Majors with senior standing may not fulfill this requirement with a level-1 course. All majors must take at least four courses in comparative/international studies.

3

Total, credits in the major

36

A grade of C is the minimum required in major field courses.

Credits outside the major

Foreign language competence up to and including the intermediate level

0-12

Summary

Credits in the major

36

Credits outside the major

0-12

Free electives

72-84

Total, B.A. in politics

120

Course Levels and Subfields

Politics courses are divided into three levels: introductory, intermediate, and advanced.

Introductory courses are divided into three subfields -- U.S. politics, political theory, and comparative/international studies -- and students in the major must take at least one course in each area. Courses in this area range from POLT 10100 to POLT 29900.

Intermediate courses include four subfields -- U.S. politics, political theory, public policy, and comparative/international studies. Students in the major must take at least one course in each of the subfields and at least two in comparative/international studies. Courses in this area range from POLT 30100 to POLT 37000.

Advanced courses are seminars, tutorials, internships, or directed studies. Students in the major must take two advanced-level courses, at least one of which must be a seminar. Courses in this area range from POLT 40100 to POLT 49900.

U.S. Politics

Emphasis in this field is placed on the organizations, institutions, and processes of U.S. political life at both the national and subnational level, including the study of U.S. leadership patterns, legislative politics, legal systems and their social implications, partisan competition, and fundamental social and economic forces that structure U.S. politics.

Introductory-level courses in U.S. politics:

POLT 10100, U.S. Politics

POLT 10200, Media and Politics

POLT 10300, The United States and the World

Intermediate-level courses in U.S. politics:

POLT 30100, Legislative Behavior

POLT 30300, Constitutional Law

POLT 30400, U.S. Party Politics

POLT 30500, Urban Politics

POLT 30600, U.S. Foreign Policy

POLT 30900, Personality and Politics

POLT 31000, Supreme Court in U.S. Politics

POLT 31900, POLT 32000, Selected Topics in U.S. Politics

Comparative and International Studies

This field encompasses the comparative study of political institutions, processes, and sociocultural bases of political systems, along with patterns of international conflict and cooperation. It is intended to expose students to careful examination of a broad range of political phenomena, such as revolution, war, imperialism, styles of leadership, processes of political change, and systems maintenance.

Introductory-level courses in comparative and international studies:

POLT 12200, Politics and Society

POLT 12300, Political Justice

POLT 12500, Politics of Deviance

POLT 12800, Introduction to International Relations

POLT 12900, Introduction to Global Studies

POLT 23000, The Holocaust

Intermediate-level courses in comparative and international studies:

POLT 32100, Contemporary British Politics

POLT 32200, British Foreign Policy

POLT 32400, Communist and Post-Communist Societies

POLT 32500, Chinese Politics

POLT 32600, Russian Politics

POLT 32700, The Politics of Development

POLT 32800, International Conflict

POLT 32900, Third World Politics

POLT 33000, European Politics

POLT 33100, Latin American Politics

POLT 33200, Africa through Film

POLT 33400, Politics of Rights and Culture

POLT 33500, Crossing Borders/Global Migration

POLT 33600, Whiteness and Multiculturalism

POLT 33700, Politics of Memory

POLT 33900, Political Economy of the Middle East

POLT 34000, Selected Topics in Comparative-International Studies

Political Theory

Courses in this field concentrate on philosophical and conceptual concerns that appear throughout the discipline and merit emphasis in specific courses. Theories are explored through the study of the basic interconnections between facts and values in politics. Included are general courses in empirical and normative political thought, more specific courses that center on particular theorists or theoretical constructions, and courses on the scope and methods of political analysis.

Introductory-level courses in political theory:

POLT 14100, Power: Race, Sex, and Class

POLT 14200, Ideas and Ideologies

POLT 29900, Field Study

Intermediate-level courses in political theory:

POLT 34100, U.S. Political Thought

POLT 34200, Liberalism and Marxism

POLT 34300, Feminist Theory

POLT 34400, Contemporary British Political Theory

POLT 35000, Selected Topics in Political Theory

Public Policy

Courses in this field provide students with analytical approaches to the study of public policy making and application. Particular emphasis is given to understanding the complexities of modern problems and the limitations and potential of public policy to intervene effectively in the interest of the common good. This field in particular is recommended for students interested in careers in the management of public affairs.